Different Shades of Love
by leveragus
Summary: <html><head></head>AUShandy Challenge: Sharon is the leader of Major Crimes division, Andy is a reformed criminal with shady motives. What happens when the two meet during a case?</html>


**A/N: **This was written for the twitter AUShandy challenge. I'm a bit late for #ShandySundayHaitus, but since it's done, I've decided to post it! :P

A big thank you to **Kadi219 **for the beautiful art poster and for beta proofing the fic. I couldn't have done it without her! :D

**Different Shades of Love**

A car rolled down the street and stopped right in front of the bright yellow crime scene tape. An officer rushed from his post and opened the driver door. One heel, two heels and the driver stepped out of the car swinging her hair backwards. She nodded her head in thanks as the young, eager officer closed the door and led her towards the scene, holding the tape high so she didn't have to bend to cross it.

Captain Sharon Raydor was taken aback by all the confusion around her. The press was camped further back as the officers tried to contain the scene. Journalists were shouting various questions as they wanted answers. A fire truck was parked right next to the building and the firemen were trying to secure the area. Sharon could see the smoke still coming out from the top floor. All she could make out was part of a sign saying "Pizzeria", the rest of the building had burnt down. There was nothing but ashes.

"Captain" someone called her. She turned around and she saw her second in command walking towards her.

"Lieutenant Provenza, what do we have?" she asked him. She spotted another one of her lieutenants, Mike Tao, talking to who she assumed was the fireman in charge of the scene. He was probably asking when they could go inside.

"The building was an Italian restaurant. Great place, they had fantastic food." He said almost sounding sad.

"Why is this a Major Crime case?" Sharon still couldn't understand why a fire at a restaurant was such big news.

"The owner reported the fire. He also said that a member of his family is missing and the firemen recovered a body inside. There's too much damage to make an identification…" he told her. This was part of his job he didn't like. "Captain, you should know. The owner is…"

"Hey Louie!" someone interrupted him

"I told you not to call me that" Provenza hissed irritated towards the pepper hair men who stopped at his right and slapped his back.

"I haven't seen you for a long time. Having trouble scoring a date with another hottie? You're not so young, you know? You should go out with someone closer to your age."

"Do you two know each other?" Sharon asked trying to hide her amusement. It was strange to see someone teasing the grumpy lieutenant. The others in the office didn't dare to talk to him like that and she could see that this man got under Provenza's skin.

"Hmm… Captain" he pointed at the taller man beside him. "Meet Andrew Flynn, the owner of the restaurant. Mr. Flynn and I met under particular circumstances…"

"You could say that!" Flynn smirked. The story of how the two men met had entertained his guests several times. He turned to give his complete attention to the captain. "Louie, you didn't tell me your captain was such a beautiful woman. The way you complain about her, you would think she was the Wicked Witch or something."

Provenza grumbled, hiding his face in his palms.

Sharon could feel Mr. Flynn's eyes checking her out. She didn't know if she was feeling violated or flattered by his attention. She couldn't help noticing that he was a very distinguished man… well the right word was sexy, but she refused to call him that in her mind. His blue jeans and leather jacket fitted him just right and if the circumstances were different she would have enjoyed his flirting.

"Mr. Flynn you seem quite relaxed for someone who has just lost his restaurant." she didn't show how he was affecting her.

He shrugged. "The place can always be rebuilt. I just hope the body inside wasn't my nephew." He tuned his head towards Provenza. "Was it Johnny?"

"We can't say yet." Provenza told him quietly, quickly laying a comforting hand on his arm.

Andy nodded and closed his eyes then turned on his heels watching the water extinguish the last smoke. "So many memories in that place…" his voice almost distant.

"Andy, if you have an idea who could might have been…"

He chuckled sadly. "You know better than me that the list is long."

"Well, someone you've pissed off more recently?"

"Other than my ex-wife?" he joked. Then he sighed frustrated. "Louie, really, I don't know. You know how my business works. But I sure hope that's not Johnny in there, because if my brother comes into town, things will get ugly"

The next day the whole team was gathered in the murder room in front of the white board.

"We've got an ID!" Tao said putting down the telephone receiver.

"Is it Johnny Flynn?" Provenza asked apprehensively leaning forward in his chair.

"No," the Asian lieutenant got up, recovered the photo he had just printed and walked towards the board while leaving a few coins in the Provenza's print jar as he passed by. "The victim is Frank Sorrento. Twenty-four years old. He worked as a waiter in the Pizzeria."

"So we have a dead waiter and another young man missing…" Sharon stood up and put her weight on her right leg, hands in her pockets. "Any other information? Why did someone kill this man and set fire to the restaurant?"

"To get rid of the evidence?" Detective Sanchez suggested.

"And we have Andrew Flynn as a probable suspect" Amy added.

"Andy?" Provenza exclaimed. "No way. There's no motive"

"That we have found yet." Sanchez pointed out. "And he has a record."

"Yes, a DUI, more 17 years ago and he's been sober ever since and what? A couple of arrests for smuggling when he was eighteen. He's been clean for years now!" Provenza defended him.

"Lieutenant," Sharon said. "I know that you're friends with this man, but we have to consider all our options. Assistant Chief Taylor warned me about him this morning, care to explain why?"

Provenza puffed. "Taylor, of course he has a grudge against Andy, years ago he embarrassed him in front of the cameras. Long story." He waved his hands annoyed. "Captain, I'm telling you, Andy has got nothing to do with it"

"There's another possibility too." Sanchez added. "We have one person missing and another one dead. Maybe Johnny Flynn fled the scene after he killed Sorrento."

"Well, since we're still investigating, these are only speculations. Julio, do a background check on Frank Sorrento."

"I'm on it, Ma'am." the detective began typing on his computer.

"Mike, find all the information we can get from the evidence and from the fire department report. Amy, I need you to interview any witnesses. Buzz, check the local area CTV, see if there's anything. Lieutenant Provenza, could you please check on Dr. Morales for the autopsy?" Captain Sharon Raydor gave the orders to her team.

"And you, Captain?" Provenza asked curiously. He still wasn't happy that they thought Flynn was involved.

"I'm going to call Mr. Flynn and inform him of our findings." she said before going into her office.

She dialed the number on her phone and waited for it to ring. A few seconds later a voice answered.

"Yes?"

"Mr. Flynn" Sharon recognized his deep voice. "This is Captain Raydor."

"Sharon" there was a hint of amusement in his voice.

"It's Raydor!" she replied back not impressed. "We need to talk."

"Is it about…" he said alarmed.

"The body found was not your nephew, Mr. Flynn" she reassured him.

"Thank God for that." He sighed.

"We really need to discuss some things, if you could come to the precinct."

"Am I suspect?" then he chuckled. "Of course I am"

"We're still investigating."

"But it's easier to accuse the guy with a record and possible insurance motive."

"If…"

"Look, if I'm not under arrest I have no obligation to come there. If you really want to talk to me, you'll have to come here. I'm busy. So…" he gave her the address and then hung up.

"Well, I never …" Sharon looked in disbelieve at her phone like it contained the answers. No one hung up on Sharon Raydor and Andrew Flynn was going to find out about it the hard way.

When she parked the car, Sharon had to check twice if the address she had put in her GPS was right. She got out of the vehicle and looked around. Where was she? For a moment she wondered if that Flynn had given her the wrong address and had sent her to a wild goose chase, but then she heard the screams of a group of kids. She turned around and recognized the familiar silver hair. She walked through the gate and stopped behind him.

"Hey coach, a sexy woman is here for you" one of the teenagers boys sniggered and the others laughed too.

Andy Flynn turned around and saw the police captain standing there with her arms crossed. He rolled his eyes and took his toothpick out of his mouth.

"Okay all of you, quit it!" he snapped. "Jason" he called one of the oldest boys "You're in charge of the batting session. I'll be back soon" he turned around and with a nod of his head he motioned Sharon to follow him.

They stood inside the team's bench area. Sharon never would have guessed that she would find him at a baseball pitch field coaching a team of misfits boys.

"I see that you've actually followed me down here" She narrowed her eyes at him. "What?"

"This was your 'oh so important business'?" She practically accused him. She didn't know what was wrong with her. She was usually more professional than this, but this man standing in front of her got under skin, probably because she was oddly attracted to him.

Andy stood straight defensively, hands in his track suit pockets. "If it weren't for this team, those kids would probably be in the streets hanging around the wrong crowd. I know because I was one of those kids. It won't be much to you, but it makes all the difference for them!"

She looked down ashamed. "I'm sorry" she sighed. "I came here to talk to you about the victim found in the restaurant."

"Who was is?"

"Frank Sorrento"

Andy gasped "Oh God, no. Not Frankie" he turned around and shook his head. "Did he suffer?" he asked hiding his pain.

"We're still waiting for more results." She took a step forward. "My team informed me that Sorrento had a record…"

Andy gave a small ironic chuckle. "All the staff in my restaurants have a record. They are kids that made a mistake in the past and just needed a second chance."

"Anyone who would want to hurt him?"

"Maybe. There's his old gang. He left that company long ago, but you know their motto 'Once a gang member always a gang member'. I know he was doing everything he could to stay away."

"And Johnny?"

"What about Johnny?"

"He's still missing, maybe…"

He approached her angrily. "So now you think my nephew is a suspect. You people are unbelievable." He shook his head in disbelief.

"We have to consider all the possibilities? You have no idea where he could be?"

"No and now I'm worried. Johnny and Frank were very close, best friends. Frank was like a bodyguard to him. Johnny, being my brother's son, well let's just say he could easily be a target. Frank was an extra pair of eyes. With him being dead and Johnny missing… I've got a bad feeling. I have to call my brother"

Sharon opened her eyes wide "Your brother is a crime boss in New Jersey, you know what bringing him will cause?"

"It's his son, what am I supposed to do?" His jaw and shoulders tense.

Calling his brother, Robert Flynn, was the last thing he wanted to do. He had worked very hard to separate part of his business from his brother's illegal ones. He could still remember his elder brother's shouts when he told him that he wanted nothing to do with the family business. He wanted to open an Italian restaurant in LA and be a better person for his kids. Nicole, his daughter, was now a married woman with two step kids and a third one on its way and Justin, his son, had moved to Boston and was an associate in a law firm. It's true that he still used some of his brother's men to keep the neighborhood safe. Part of the deal was that he could use his brother's man power and they could keep the weapons, drugs and money they got from the jobs.

"If you or your brother interfere with the investigations, I won't hesitate to arrest you"

He smirked. She really was a strong and determined woman. He admired those qualities. "Yes, Ma'am"

They suddenly heard shouts coming from the pitch and Andy turned around to see that a fight was about to start among his players. "I need to go now"

She nodded. "I'll stay in touch… and don't leave town" she pivot on her heels and walked away.

Andy watched her swing away, his eyes focused on her behind and long legs. Then he went to see what all the commotion was all about.

The following evening, Sharon Raydor stormed inside the closing restaurant. She was angry. No, angry couldn't fully describe what she was feeling. She was furious. She found the man she was looking for just exiting the kitchen, another young man right behind him.

"Andrew Flynn!" She shouted.

All the clients were gone, so if she wanted to shout, she could raise her voice as high as she wanted. Usually when she got angry, she didn't shout. No, when she got really angry she would stare at the culprit and give them the silent treatment. It worked with her children and she later discovered that it worked with suspects too. But not this time, this time her anger was fueled by passion. She still couldn't figure out why he had that effect on her.

"Sharon" Andy greeted her with a smile, ignoring the death glare she was sending his way.

"I should arrest you right now" she was now just a few steps away from him. "I told you to stay away from our investigation"

Andy nodded at the waiter standing behind him. "You can go home, Danny. I'll close up"

"Yes, sir" the young man quickly took off his apron and rushed outside the door.

"Tell me you had nothing to do with the anonymous call we received hours ago and the little present we found at the location?"

Of course the little present she was referring to, were members of gang who had been beaten and interrogated and left tied up for her team to find. Covered in blood with black eyes and broken bones, they confessed that someone had paid them to set the restaurant on fire, but they had no idea that there was a body inside. Lieutenant Tao was now working on find a way to trace the money.

"Are you hungry?" he ignored her question. "I haven't had time to eat and I was about to cook something" he started to set a table for two.

Sharon blinked incredulously. "I… Are you even listening to me?"

Andy walked through the swinging doors that led to the kitchen. Sharon puffed and followed him. He had his back to her and was stirring something in a pan. She stopped abruptly when he suddenly turned towards her, wooden spoon in his hand.

"Here, try this!" he brought the spoon to her lips.

She looked skeptically both at him and then at the sauce on the spoon. He gave her an encouraging nod and she rolled her eyes before trying the sauce.

"Hmm…" she moaned. "This actually tastes good." she said slightly distracted from her mission.

He smirked. "Glad you like it. So, spaghetti?" He turned around to see that the water was boiling and he threw the pasta inside the big pan.

"I…" she mumbled. "I'm here to see if I should arrest you, not to dine!"

He gave her smug grin. "We both know that if you really wanted to arrest me, you would have come with your squad. So why don't you relax and enjoy a quiet dinner with me"

"Is this your way of asking me on a date?" her eyebrows rose.

He shrugged. "Sure, why not?"

"I don't date criminals" she crossed her arms in front of her.

"Neither do I" he grinned.

Sharon didn't know what to do with him. His chocolate brown eyes were locked with hers and she felt a connection, like an addiction. As much as she wanted to leave, separate herself from him, she just couldn't do it. Something was keeping her there, hooked.

"So, you really have nothing to say about the gang members we found tied up and nearly beaten to death?"

"Seems like a Good Samaritan has left you a lead to follow" he simply answered. "Did they give you something?"

She knew he was lying, but like he said: she wasn't there to arrest him mostly because she didn't have any proof. He wouldn't have done the dirty work himself. It was something his men would have done, but they took orders from his brother, or so he claimed. She just shook her head and let it slide, for now.

The pasta was ready and Andy filled two plates. With a bit of touch of original parmesan cheese, he took the plates to the table he had set. Then he pulled a chair for Sharon and she gracefully sat on it.

They spend their dinner talking about anything. Their divorces, their children, work. At first she was a bit uncomfortable. A little voice in her head reminding her that she shouldn't be there, it was dangerous to be seen with him. But it was so easy to talk to him. He had an incredible sense of humor and he could just make her laugh and forget about her problems.

When they had finished eating the pasta, Andy got up to get something from the fridge. He offered a piece of Cassata Siciliana. Her fork sunk in the dessert and then brought it to her lips. She groaned in pleasure as the dessert melted in her mouth and her taste buds felt alive. This man was definitely going to seduce her with his food.

They kept talking as they drank an expresso. She looked at her watch and frowned: was it really that late?

"I should go" she said getting up. Luckily her foster kid, Rusty, was staying at a friend's house, so he couldn't have missed her.

"Sure" he got up too and nervously started cleaning. "I really had a good time" he suddenly said.

"Surprisingly so did I" she smiled.

He smirked. "You still not convinced I'm one of the good guys"

"Oh, I know for sure you're a bad boy." Her eyes gleamed mischievously "I never expected you to be such an adorable softy underneath your tough exterior"

He pouted for a moment not really liking the words adorable and softy referred to him. "I'll show you I can be a bad boy" he grunted.

"Is that a promise?" she wiggled her eyebrows. Then she blushed not really believing the words that had come out of her mouth. She didn't usually flirt so openly.

He grinned. "If you agree to go on a second date."

"We'll see." But her face told him that it was going to happen. "I need to close this case first."

He nodded. "Let me escort you to your car?" he said turning off the lights and then opening the restaurant door for her. He closed everything behind him and then put a hand on the small of her back, gently guiding her down the street.

Once they reached her car she opened the door and then turned around. "Thanks again for dinner."

"It was my pleasure." He smiled and then leaned down to gently kiss the corner of her mouth.

She smiled and got inside the car. Nothing had prepared her for her feelings towards that man that were creeping inside her.

The money trail led to nothing and the team was back to point zero.

"Can't believe it that we've got nothing?" Provenza grumbled frustrated as he got up from his chair and stood in front of the murder board. "Johnny Flynn has been missing for 72 hours and now it's an official case. The news is all over it, Taylor is breathing down our necks and soon we'll have a mobster stirring chaos in our streets. Could it get any worse?"

"May it already has, sir!" Julio commented nodding at the two people entering the squad room.

They all recognized Andrew Flynn, dressed in pair of black jeans and with his usual leather jacket. He nodded at Provenza who knowledge him back. Behind him was a slightly older man in a navy blue suit, probably a designer. He looked around searching for someone in particular.

"Who's the person in charge here?" he demanded.

"That would be me." Sharon stepped out of her office, arms crossed. "You must be Robert Flynn" she tried to avoid making eyes contact with Andy.

Robert looked at her not impressed. He came from a type of business where women didn't get involved and he didn't have to deal with them. Since nobody else stepped forward, he sighed and greeted her. "Yes, I'm Robert Flynn. And you are?"

"Captain Sharon Raydor. If you would follow me to the conference room." She immediately gave him her back and walked inside the room.

"How are you doing in finding my son?" Robert barked once he sat on a chair.

Andy seated himself on the chair on his right and tried to calm his brother. "Bobby…"

"No, Andy. I want an answer." He kept his dark eyes on Sharon.

"We're still following some leads." She told him. "It would help if we were told everything your son was involved in and why he would be missing." Sharon recognized the type. Robert Flynn was used to have everything he wanted, mostly because he was intimidating, but she wouldn't be afraid of him. She couldn't.

"Isn't that your job to find out?" he chuckled menacingly. "Johnny was involved in the family business. That's all I'm saying. If you and your men are not competent enough to find who kidnapped my son and then killed one of our employees before setting our property on fire, I will take matters into my own hands."

"Mister Flynn, like I told your brother, if you or any of your men interfere with a police investigation I will have no choice but to arrest you."

"Is that a threat?" Robert Flynn got up.

Sharon followed. "No, just a statement."

He stared at her and when she matched his stare and didn't look away first, he puffed and turned away. "Andy, let's go!" he ordered his brother.

"Just a moment." Flynn told him.

His brother looked at him curiously wondering why he wasn't following him. He studied the looks passing between his younger brother and the captain. He said nothing and walked away.

"Sorry about that." Andy sighed. "You shouldn't have challenged him like that" he told her worriedly.

"I'm not afraid of him." she simply told him.

"You should be!"

"Andy," she pleaded laying a hand on his arm. "Stay away from him, please."

Andy shook his head. "I can't. He's family."

"Just promise you won't do anything stupid"

"I will keep an eye on him. Let you know if something happens." He gave her a small smile before walking away. They both noticed that he hadn't answered her promise and Sharon had a bad feeling about it.

Andrew Flynn was worried. Nearly half a day had passed since his brother got in town. He had the feeling that his brother knew more than he let on. He had observed him since they had left the police station. His brother was furious. Sharon had stood up to him and he wasn't use to that. He has witnessed him make some calls and order people in and out. He didn't like being kept out of the loop especially if it meant that his brother was going to destroy all hard work he had accomplished.

"What's going on?" he finally confronted him in his office.

Robert smirked. "Nothing you need to worry about. I finally found who's got Johnny and where they are keeping him. It only took me less than 12 hours, a lot better than what your cop friends managed to accomplish. I'm not surprised when you let a woman in charge of the elite police squad" He said the last part making air quotes. "But from what I've heard they got there too." He smirked lighting a cigar.

"If the police are going there why don't leave it to them. They will arrest the people involved and get Johnny out."

"So I should trust my son's life in their hands. Like I did with you!" He shouted the last part. "I know it was a mistake sending him here. You put all these ideas in his head. To leave the family business, my family business and work at the restaurant! He is my only heir and he will carry on my legacy!"

"You can't force him."

"Of course I can. Well, people will find out you don't mess with Robert Flynn soon enough. Maybe I should come back here. You can be a loser and not give a damn about our reputation, but I will bring back order and respect."

"What did you do?" Andy eyed him suspiciously.

"A team will liberate Johnny and then blow the whole block up."

Andy gasped shocked. "What about the cops going there?"

He shrugged. "Collateral damage."

Andy shook his head disgusted and made for the door, but Robert stepped in front of him.

"What? You want to go and save your lady friend? I saw how you looked at her. Can't blame you. She looked like a fine woman, is she so dominant in bed too? I suggest you forget about her."

Andy felt his blood boil in his veins and then punched his brother. His arm had shoot up before he realized what he had done. "I don't recognize you anymore!" he hissed disgusted before stepping around his brother who was now lying on the floor, spitting blood from his mouth.

"Andy, if you walk out of that door, you can consider yourself out of the family. That means no more protection!"

Andy ignored him and rushed outside. He didn't take him long to find out where the team was heading. He had punched the answer out of one of his brother's thugs. He tried calling Provenza's phone and then Sharon's, but nothing. They all went to voice mail. He hoped he wasn't too late. He parked his car and opened the glove compartment. He hadn't felt a gun in his hand for a long time, but he couldn't go in there unarmed. He sighed and got out of the car.

The block was full of abandoned buildings. He carefully ran across the street and rounded up a corner. He slowly approached the building at the far east. He saw a couple of police car parked and a SID black van. He finally spotted Sharon and her team.

"Sharon!" he ran towards them.

"Gun!" a SID shouted and pointed his gun at him.

Andy quickly took cover behind a trash can. "Hey, you need to get out of here!" he shouted kneeling behind it. This wasn't exactly according to plan. Did he even have a plan?

"Stand down!" Sharon ordered. "Andy, what's going on?"

He peeked his head up and then he fully stood on his feet once it seemed it was going to be safe. "My brother, he…" from the corner of his eye he saw a man on the roof of the building approaching the police from behind, gun pointed at Sharon and ready to shoot. Andy didn't think twice about it. He lifted the arm holding the gun and shot twice. The pain to his chest came immediately after. He didn't even hear the other sound of the bullets being shot. He looked down and saw the blood quickly covering his shirt. He then looked up and locked eyes with Sharon. He could see her mouth moving and she was shouting. People started shooting, but all he heard was static noise as he collapsed on the hard pavement.

Beep

Beep

Beep

The constant beeping was the next thing that he heard. He slowly opened his eyes, but soon closed them again when the bright white light hit him. He groaned in pain.

"Shit!" he brought his hand to his aching chest, but it was hooked to an IV.

"Serves you right for being an idiot!" a gruff voice commented from his right.

"I guess I'm not dead." He replied huskily.

"You got close enough." Lieutenant Provenza got up from his chair and poured a glass of water before passing it to his friend.

"What happened?" Andy asked after taking a sip.

"Two SID agents shot you. You shouldn't have pointed a gun with the full force of the police in front of you"

"There was a man…" he whispered. The morphine wasn't helping.

"Yeah, yeah. One of your brother's thugs."

"Johnny? The bombs?"

"We got Johnny out of there. He's been beaten and has a couple of broken ribs, but he'll live. The Bomb Squad got to all the bombs and your brother's been arrested. Apparently it all started because of a bad business deal. He stepped on the wrong toes."

Andy nodded and closed his eyes. Suddenly, he heard the door open. His eyes lit up when he saw the familiar auburn woman entering.

Provenza noticed the intense stare between them. He cleared his throat. "Well, I'd better be going. I'll pass by tomorrow" he said before leaving them alone.

"Hey!" she whispered to him.

"Hey!"

"How are you feeling?"

"Like I've been shot." He joked.

"Well, that wasn't a smart thing to do" she stepped closer to bed. "But thank you. If it hadn't been for you, things could have gone a lot worse." Her hand slowly caressed his.

"So, when can we have that second date?" He smiled, raising his eyebrow playfully. "I might be stuck in bed now, but I'm sure I can arrange something for the near future."

Sharon looked down and sighed. When their eyes met again, he could see a veil of sadness in them.

_Sharon was overseeing the last things at the scene. He saw detective Sanchez drag one of Robert Flynn's men outside a building and into a police car. It was chaotic between the thugs Flynn sent and the men who kidnapped his son and killed Sorrento, there was going to be days of paperwork. But for the police force and for Major Crimes was a big bust. All thanks to Andy. She sighed. She could see still the shock on his face when the bullets hit him and the pain in his eyes when he collapsed on the ground. She could still remember the bullets flying over head as she rushed to his side, scared that she was going to find him lifeless. She saw the blood stained shirt as she pressed against the bullets wounds._

"_Andy!" she had shouted. "Andy, please wake up!"_

"_Captain!" _

_She shook her head as she saw Assistant Chief Taylor walk towards her. He came as soon as the area had been cleared, mostly so he could be caught on camera by the press._

"_Yes Chief" _

"_I need a full report on what happened here. This is a big mess that could have been avoided!" he pointed a finger at her._

"_From what I can see, sir. It could have been a lot worse if Flynn hadn't come to warn us about his brother."_

"_Yeah about that. I heard rumors that you had been quiet affectionate with Flynn." He narrowed his eyes at her hoping she would give something away._

_She kept her face impassive thinking who might have already told him about the small moment she had shared with an unconscious Andy when he had been loaded in the ambulance. It had been just a gentle kiss on his forehead._

"_Meaning?" _

"_Meaning that you are a Captain of the police force, you have an image to uphold to. You'd better choose your companies carefully." He warned her before walking away._

"I don't think this thing between us is going to work." She told him. "With your brother in prison and FBI investigating all his business and associates. You need to understand, I'm a police captain…"

"… and I'm always going to be seen as criminal." He finished for her. He could hide the fact that her words hurt.

"They're going to look into you too." She added. "I think it's better if you hire a good attorney."

He nodded. "So, this is it then."

She swallowed the lump in her throat, keeping her tears at bay. "Yeah, this is it. Take care, Andy." She told him before exiting the room.

More than two weeks had passed since that day. Andy had stayed in the hospital for a week. In that time the FBI had come to interrogate him and tried to turn him against his brother. He had followed Sharon's advice and got an excellent lawyer, Gavin Baker, who also happened to be a good friend of Sharon's. They had frozen some of his assets, but fortunately not his only remaining restaurant.

He was talking with the maître d' coordinating the reservations and the busy restaurants when he heard the door open. He didn't look up at first thinking it was just another client.

"Andy."

His head shot up as he recognized her delicate voice. "Sharon." He whispered back.

They stood staring at each other for a moment until he realized it was better to go somewhere private. He nodded at her and told her to follow him. Soon they were inside is office.

She awkwardly stood in the middle of the room while he went to lean against his desk. His wounds still hurt and he slightly winced.

"Should you be up and working?" she asked him concerned.

"Well I've got nothing else to do. The FBI is throwing my life upside down." He commented. "I wasn't expecting to see you any time soon."

"I know."

"I mean, you've been pretty clear in the hospital: it was better if you weren't seen with a criminal like me. What changed?"

"I realized that no one can tell me what to do outside the office." She smiled. "I missed you. I mean, I don't even know what it is about you… I don't usually…" she tried to find the right words. "I don't usually let emotions influence my decisions, but you… You have…"

Her words were cut short by his lips on hers. At first she was taken by surprise, but then she let her instinct guide her actions.

"You don't have to talk all the time, you know." He smiled down at her after they broke their first kiss. He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and caressed her cheek with the back of his hand. "Just feel."

"Hmm…. I like what I'm feeling right now." She smiled back.

"Good." He muttered before capturing her lips again.

They were probably going to have difficulties along the way, she was a cop and he was always going to be a reformed criminal, but sometimes love has no barriers.


End file.
